At some point John B, Dani, and JJ shifted from the middle of the kitchen to the living room, relaxing into the worn couches. John B and JJ talked about everything, nothing, and the in-between. They sat on opposite couches, dwelling peacefully in the moon and candlelight thanks to Dani. The girl had found some candles in the hallway closet, opting for their warm, faint glow rather than the harsh coldness coming from the kitchen.

Dani sat right beside JJ but didn't dare touch him. Her body was in a strange little ball, contorted so that she could see both boys in the room. Her arms grasped her knees and Dani's head rested gently on top. She was close enough to JJ to feel the warmth radiating off of him but still sat far enough away so as to not be on top of him. Eventually, however, Dani fell asleep where she sat. The lulling tone of John B and JJ's voices was just the white noise she needed to let exhaustion overcome her. The girl's legs untucked slightly as she shifted from a tight ball to taking up half the couch. Dani was tiny, so it didn't really matter if she had stretched out all the way, but it was especially noticeable as Dani's head found its way to JJ's lap, resting lazily.

JJ didn't move the sleeping girl from his body. Instead, the blonde boy resigned to resting with Dani so he wouldn't need to move her.

John B and JJ only spent about another hour in conversation after Dani had fallen asleep, the night catching up to them as well.

John B stood from his seat, watching JJ carefully as he shifted his body on the couch. "Hey. You be good to her. She deserves more than anyone I know."

JJ quirked an eyebrow as he swung his legs from the floor to the couch, entangling them with Dani's own. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, J. Just treat her right, ok?"

"Yeah."

"Well, night J."

"Goodnight, John B."

At JJ's words, John B swiftly turned toward the hall, shuffling toward his childhood bedroom. JJ didn't hesitate to watch Dani's sleeping form the moment the two were alone. He admired the slight drool on her lip and the way she looked so incredibly peaceful as she slept.

JJ sighed, grasping Dani's shoulders and shifting his hips up slightly so that he could pull the two teens onto the couch fully. It took a few movements, but eventually, JJ and Dani were cuddled together, lying sweetly in a very couple-y way.

Dani lifted her head. She was barely awake but maneuvered her body so that her chin rested on JJ's stomach. "Thank you."

JJ hummed lightly, tickling Dani. "What for?"

"Being you."

"Well, um. Thanks."

"And mainly for not asking me to have sex with you."

"Oh, yeah. Of course."

"And for saying nice things about me today, even if you were a dick only, like, an hour later."

"Yeah."

"And for being a good friend to Pope and John B."

JJ smiled, lifting his gaze from Dani's face to the dark ceiling above. "They're good friends to have."

"They really are."

"They best actually."

"Well, goodnight JJ."

"Goodnight Dani."

The morning rolled in all too quickly, waking John B first.

The teen sauntered through his house, running a hand through the thick curly mane. John B wore only pj pants as he shuffled into the kitchen, fortunately though, John B's lack of clothes wasn't the most striking thing in the Chateau. JJ Maybank and Dani Burton were still fast asleep on the couch, their bodies completely tangled with each other, limbs everywhere. JJ acted as a human mattress for Dani. His body was completely covered by Dani's small frame, concealing the fact he was still wearing his cargo shorts from the day before.

John B couldn't say much about the new coupling though. He and Sarah happened so fast, and well, frankly, Dani and JJ were non-discreetly tiptoeing around their feelings for about forever now. Plus, Dani was good for JJ. The girl challenged him, made him more caring, and was certainly smarter than the random girls the blonde boy was keen to hook up with. This was good. This was commitment.

John B sighed quietly, deciding to wake up the sleeping pair from the safety of the kitchen. The curly-headed teen gathered a few pots and dropped them on the floor. A clash of dishes hitting the ground sounded dreadfully loud throughout the Chateau, and Dani and JJ both woke with a start.

Forty-five minutes later, the three friends had packed into the broken, musty Twinkie and were cruising along the quiet streets of the Outer Banks. JJ sat on the bench seat in the front, holding a map of South America in his hand. "So, walk me through it one more time."

John B reached an arm over, pointing to nowhere in particular on the map. "Okay, right there. That's where they're taking him. That's the site of the idol."

"You pointed to just South America, you understand that, right?"

John B nodded once, "Yep."

Dani rolled her eyes in the back, muttering a quiet, "Helpful."

"That's all you know? He's... he's somewhere in South America?" JJ watched his friend in disbelief.

This was going to take some patience.

"That's why we're going to the professor's house! Look, he was at the site."

"Okay. So happy we have the map, then."

Dani leaned up against the bench seat, "If it makes you feel any better, J, you're doing an absolutely fantastic job of reading that thing."

JJ's cheeks turned a faint pink, well before JJ shook his head and came to realize a crucial detail of John B's plan. "Wait. Whoa, whoa! We're going to a house now with a dead body in it?"

Dani choked on air, coughing slightly. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah, Burton, you missed a few details last night." JJ threw a hand to his hair. "That... that's where we're going?"

"Yeah."

"Does anyone care to explain what the fuck is going on?"

JJ continued ranting at John B, completely ignoring Dani's inquiry, "And if the cops show up, you know what that makes us look like?"

"Uh, guys. I really need to avoid lawlessness right now."

John B nodded slowly, eyes filled with regret. "Yes."

JJ turned his head toward the window, dropping the panic from his voice. The boys had still yet to acknowledge Dani's interjections. "Okay, just making sure. Can we make it quick though? Just in and out."

John B brought the Twinkie to a stop right outside a navy blue house. It was a decent size, not too big and not too small, perfectly midsized.

"Hey. Are we ever going to acknowledge that I am here?" Dani asked annoyed. The girl did not love being ignored, it reminded her too much of her kook roots.

John B turned to look at his friend, an apology in his eyes. "Wait here."

"What?"

"Stay here."

Dani shook her head, "What? Why?"

"This way you don't have to worry about getting caught or getting in trouble with your dad or Ward. Just call us if the cops are coming or if you need to make a quick getaway or whatever. We'll be quick."

Dani wiped the dumbfounded look off her face. "Ok... Okay."

JJ and John B promptly left the Twinkie, sneaking through an overgrown yard until they were completely gone from Dani's view. The girl rolled her eyes. "Assholes."

The boys were gone for about 10 minutes. It was ten minutes of peaceful bliss in which Dani clambered to the front bench. She played with the various trinkets on the Twinkie's dash and carefully inspected the busted windshield in front of her.

John B busted into the driver's seat, an excited buzz in his eyes, while JJ sauntered carefully into the back of the Twinkie.

The blonde didn't hesitate to give Dani a look, she had stolen his seat after all.

"We need to find Neville Persaud, the expedition guide. He can get us to South America."

JJ scoffed from the back, "He's also, like, in danger."

Dani turned to look at her... friend...? "What kind of danger?"

"There were originally five people on the original expedition to South America, where El Dorado is, yada yada. Four of those five are currently..." JJ brought his finger to his throat, sliding it across in a symbolic motion. "Neville is the last one alive. We need to warn him."

– meanwhile –

Rafe Cameron sat gently on his bed at Tannyhill, lightly polishing the melted gold of the cross. His face was smug, a knowing gleam in his eye. To put it lightly, Rafe Cameron was the most assiest of asses.

What Rafe didn't know, however, was just hours before, as the sun was setting across the Outer Banks, Ward Cameron was stepping down upon the island, and he was on a mission.

The Cameron father miraculously must still have friends on the island. He stepped into Tannyhill unseen, commandeering a ride from, well, who knows.

Ward climbed the stairs to Rafe's bedroom slowly, one hand on the banister and one hand pushing heavily on the cane that aided his walk. Upon reaching Rafe's room, Ward took a deep breath, preparing himself for the most unhinged version of Rafe that could exist.

The older man stepped forward, knocking gently on the open bedroom door. "Hey, bud."

Rafe snapped his head toward the sound, confusion playing on his face. He stood slowly, not quite comprehending the man who stood in front of him. "Dad."

"Mmhmm."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rafe took a step forward.

"I could see you were in over your head, so I came back to help you."

Rafe crossed the distance to his father, "You wanna help?"

"Yeah."

"Leave. You can't be here."

"I know you stole the cross, Rafe."

The Cameron boy clenched his jaw tight, anger flaring in him.

"Now, come on, Rafe." Rafe walked away from his father, pacing in front of the bedroom window. Ward followed his son, unrelenting, "You were tired of living in my shadow. And you felt like I overstepped."

"By giving away something of mine. Why would I think that?"

"You were right. I should've talked to you before I donated it. You deserve that."

"Yeah, you should have. You're right."

"That was my mistake, but here we are, and you have it, and we gotta be smart with it, okay?"

"Yeah."

"This cross is special. Okay?"

"Listen, the deal is done."

"What deal?"

"It's done."

"You had no time to get a deal done. Okay. I know..."

"Well, it is done because I'm selling some of it today."

"What do you mean, some of it?"

"I melted that shit down."

Ward chuckled, disbelief filling his features. "You're joking. You didn't melt it down."

"No, no. I'm not joking. Shit. I mean, I can... I'll show you now." Rafe moved toward the open briefcase sitting on the bed.

"Rafe, no."

"I mean, listen, this is just a..."

"No, no."

"...Just a very tiny fraction of it, so."

"You melted it?"

"Yeah, I melted the Cross of Santo Domingo. Yep, melted it."

"How could you do that, Rafe? How could you..."

"'Cause I'm trying to make money off this."

"What? Why?"

"Because you can't trace spare parts, Dad. What are you talking about?"

Ward's voice rose, his temper flaring, "Spare parts? It's... it's priceless! It's one of a kind!"

"What is the issue?"

"Oh, my God."

"I don't understand. Tell me. Can you enlighten me on it please?"

Ward hobbled to the ottoman in the corner of the room. He sat down slowly, placing his head in his hands. "Look, even if you don't care about it at all, it's lost all its value. It's a relic. You can't melt down the cross!"

"Yes, I can. Just stop, stop! Stop!" Rafe threw his foot down like a child throwing a tantrum. "I'm talking now. Alright? This isn't about you! I mean, I was... I was held hostage at Singh's, locked up, not knowing if I was gonna live or die. And I thought, 'If I get out, I'm not going to sit around and wait for a handout from you.' I was gonna take what's mine, okay? Rightfully mine. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"You get it?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"Okay. Okay, Rafe. What's done is done."

"Yeah, it is done."

Ward stood, watching as Rafe closed the briefcase and held it proudly in his hands. "Now we gotta move forward, okay? You've created a bit of a mess for yourself, but that's okay. I mean, do you even know where Danielle is? If she... if she's off running with those damn pogues and finds out about this, that just... That's just gonna put your whole plan in jeopardy. But we're gonna figure this out. You gotta do the things I sent you here to do, alright? Then we'll go back to Guadeloupe, and we'll start again. We'll get a brand-new life. You, me, Wheezie, Rose. We'll get Dani to come back with us..."

Rafe backed his father into the wall, speaking strangely quietly. Rafe was explosive anger, not quiet anger. "Listen. I wanna start again too."

"Okay, good."

"Okay, but not in Guadeloupe."

"What?"

"Why the hell would I start over there?"

"Because we can't stay here, son."

"No. No, you can't stay here. I can. I mean, I got a crew here. I... I got... I got my home. Okay, Dad, what I'm saying is, I don't need you anymore. So feel free to haul Dani, or any other pogue ass with you, but I'm good." Rafe walked away from his dad, simply done with the conversation.

"Rafe, Rafe, Rafe, Rafe, listen to me." Ward tried to grab Rafe's arm, but Rafe wasn't having it.

The Cameron boy turned sharply, pinning his dad against the wall with his elbow. "What are you gonna do? You gonna hit me?"

"Rafe."

"With your cane?" Rafe shook his head. "I'm gonna sell my gold. Okay? My gold. And I'm gonna do whatever else I want, and there's actually nothing you can do about it, okay?" Rafe gently let up the pressure on his father's chest, leaning down to grab the man's cane that had fallen. The teen gestured his head toward the door, the anger on his face dissipating into something closer to pity. "Go home, Dad."

Ward stood with his back against the wall, breathing slowly as Rafe exited the room, and only a minute later the sound of the back door slamming resonated throughout Tannyhill. The man was in disbelief. He had known for quite some time that Rafe was unhinged, and only more so by the day, but he had seriously miscalculated the insanity to which the Cameron boy operated. Yet, what is done, is done. There was nothing more Ward could do or say to convince Rafe to rejoin his side, so with a sigh Ward lifted himself slowly from the wall, putting most of his weight on his good leg. It was clear to the older man that whatever was to happen next, he would need to consult the most unlikely of people, Sarah Cameron, and when that inevitably failed, Dani Burton.

— —

Dani watched as the dense foliage of the Outer Banks faded away, and rows and rows of farmland replaced it. She had actually never been to this part of the island, and the view was new to her.

John B pulled beside a rundown little shack, littered with fresh produce. It seemed to act as a little headquarters for the workers. He put the van in park, speaking to JJ as he let him out of the back, "Okay, now, so let me get this straight. So, because you know a guy with the same last name as Neville, you think they've gotta be related. That's your master plan?"

Dani watched the back of the blonde's head as JJ led the way toward the shack. "Seriously, J?"

"Right. Okay. How many people do either of you know with the last name Persaud?"

John B and Dani didn't answer.

JJ continued speaking, a small victory in his step. "I met a guy here last summer with my cousin..."

"Oh, please say Ricky."

"Shut up, Burton. Anyway, we're here doing the growing business. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Last name Persaud." JJ stopped, leaving JB and Dani to practically run into the teen. "Or wait, was it Percett?"

John B leaned forward, grabbing JJ's shoulder. "No, no, no. Okay, you think..."

"No, no, no..."

"'Cause this is my dad's life. We're talking about my dad's life..."

"No, I know. I know. Mr. Persaud. Trust me. It's cool."

JJ shuffled forward, grabbing the attention of one of the men sorting vegetables in the shack. "Hey, uh, Mr. P, right?"

"Hey!"

"Yeah. I told you." JJ muttered quietly as he closed the distance between himself and the smiling man.

Dani rolled her eyes as she followed. She leaned to John B, whispering, "He is actually a dumbass."

John B didn't let up the look of apprehension, but still leaned to Dani, responding to her in his own whisper, "You're the one who tried to hook up with him in my kitchen."

Dani whirled around, slapping John B lightly in the arm and forcing the boy to finally crack a smile."Did not!"

"Hey, guys, trying to have a conversation here." JJ turned, scolding his friends over his shoulder.

Dani and John B nodded, easily regaining their composure. It was unusual to be asked to be serious by the most unserious member of the group.

JJ's voice rang out once more as he talked to the cheery man in front of him, "Yeah. Hey, so, we're looking for... we're looking for Neville. Is he still here?"

"Nah, nah, nah, he's out there." The man, Mr. P, pointed beside him. "Been holding up near Doe Creek."

"Doe Creek?"

"In his houseboat. Way, way back."

"Thank you mucho," JJ responded, his attention solely focused on the treeline the man had pointed to. 

The teens moved slowly toward the trees, apprehensive about whatever was to come on the other side. Yet, they knew that it was the only way they were possibly going to save John B's father and Neville.

John B, JJ, and Dani moved briskly, reaching the edge of Doe Creek with ease. They waded into the water slowly, peering around the overgrown brush and Whomping Willows that infiltrated their version of the water.

JJ scoffed, "Why you ever doubt me...?"

John B shrugged his shoulders, trying not to give JJ the satisfaction of being right. "The idea was little far-fetched is all I'm saying. Plus, Dani agreed with me."

"Loyalty, John B. Loyalty."

"Sorry."

JJ stood waist-deep in the water, moving his eyes intently around the view before him. "Alright, so we're looking for... a houseboat."

Dani followed JJ's eyes to a quaint little boat sitting on the water to her right. "That looks like a houseboat."

"Well, you think he's there?"

"I don't know. I mean..."

"Only one way to find out..." JJ cupped his hands to his mouth. "Neville! Hey!"

John B lunged at his friends, collapsing his hands across JJ's mouth. "Stop it!"

"Dude, what?"

"J, are you crazy?"

John B nodded, "What are you talking about 'what?' He thinks people are trying to kill him. He's probably packing."

"Ah, okay. It's a death trap."

"Yeah, unfortunately, we don't have a choice. He's the only guy alive who knows where my dad is."

Dani felt her hands start to shake. She had done really well so far in controlling her panic, but things were about to get real again.

"We'll have to swim out there. Y'all ready?" JJ asked, glancing between John B and Dani.

The teens didn't